Virgin Mobile to throttle $40 unlimited MiFi after 5GB

Virgin Mobile has announced that it will be throttling its $40 unlimited MiFi data plan as of February 15, allowing users 5GB of regular data access but after that limiting the available bandwidth until the end of the month. Spotted by David Pogue, the change appears to be a recognition by Virgin Mobile that, if you offer truly unlimited data, some users are going to hammer your network.

The plan continues to be a solid option for those wary of long-term contracts, however, offering no-commitment subscriptions which can be activated for a single month and then allowed to lapse, rather than demanding a two-year agreement. As the carriers never tire of telling us, most users won’t get anywhere near the 5GB limit, but it’s a disappointing change all the same; still, at least you won’t be charged any more nor cut off altogether once you exceed the new cap.